The plan is to build a jeep to compete in the TREC series at the Badlands Offroad Park.

First a little history:
I bought the Jeep used in 1996. It had 36,000mi. I immediately installed a 4.5” Rubicon Express lift kit, 34” TSL’s, a locker in the rear, a limited slip in the front, 4.11’s and a Tomken bumper w/ mount for portable winch. I carried a 9500# Warn winch in the back for when needed. I built it this way because it was my daily driver and I was heavily involved with Two Trackers and Jeep Jamborees. The Grand Cherokee was perfect for this as there was plenty of room for my 3 small children, a cooler, supplies and the winch in the back. Plus my wife enjoyed the power windows and A/C. She doesn’t enjoy the mud and rock bashing that I do in my bigger TJ.

90,000mi and 7 years later I parked the Jeep for future use. When my oldest daughter turned 16 in 2008 the ZJ became her ride to school. 2010 I thought about trying to save it but the rust was to overwhelming so I tried to sell it.

But my daughter did not want to part with it. So Amy drove it till the summer of ’10, and then it was parked again because of a tranny leak. For the next year and half I let my other daughter Cary use it at Silver Lake but not on the road as the suspension is wore out.

So that brings it to this past fall and the Trailmaster Challenge. At the last minute I decided to enter it in the race as I had plans to cut it up anyhow. WHAT A BLAST!! I had run the first race in my TJ w/42’s and hated it. I parked after two laps, hard to steer thru the woods and no suspension. But with the zj the race was totally enjoyable, it steered thru Holy Moly like a dream, and was catching some awesome air going across the “fields”. That is until with about 45min left to race and I thought I had lost 4wd. I could not climb one of the hills so I got out and noticed that the front axle was no longer in one piece. Once Cary and I walked backed to the pits we found out we were in second place at the time that we broke, Damn it!
So now I am bitten.

I thought the Jeep ran pretty well in the Trailmaster Challenge race. Just needs to be beefed up to take the hard landings and survive 3-4 hours of racing.

In the TMC race I lost brakes during the second lap, very detrimental to speed. So reroute brake lines and add protection.

Due to all the sweet air I was getting apparently it was hard on the front axle. So beef up the front Dana 30, because I still want to feel that lightness over bumps and hills.

I tend to hit a lot stuff while going thru the woods and just for safety I want to cut roof off and “cage” it. I plan on running bars inside the door skins also.

Maybe truss the rear axle.

Another words toughen it up. I was happy with the power of the 318. Really impressed with the steering throughout the race and suspension worked great.

Don’t want to spend a lot of money doing this and that’s what is great about the “C” Class. You are not allowed to change any of the running gear. You are required to maintain stock body panels and look.

I’ve already built the new front axle. I’ll document that next. Once that is installed we’re getting the saw out. Can’t wait!

I first spent half a day designing and trial fitting metal. Finally came up wth this.

Here is my donated axle. I had to cut off lower control arm brackets and clean up.

I added some gussets to help keep everything straight.

I tacked on the bottom truss and then went for it. While burning it on I welded a couple of inches at a time at different areas so I would'nt bend the housing, but I stayed at it so the axle would only have to cool once. When I looked up once I was done it was 2am.